# Mottled dingy-brown click beetle (*Agrypnus murinus*) The mottled dingy-brown click beetle is a small insect that likes to hide in the soil and under leaves. It has a special way of clicking to flip itself back over if it gets turned upside down! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Mottled dingy-brown click beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Elateridae_-_Agrypnus_murinus-1.JPG&width=800) Photo: Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elateridae_-_Agrypnus_murinus-1.JPG) ## Appearance The Mottled dingy-brown click beetle is an elongated, somewhat flattened beetle, typically gray to dark brown. Its body is covered in a dense, short, mottled pattern of hairs, making it perfectly camouflaged against bark or soil. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Elateridae - **Genus:** Agrypnus ## Interesting facts - Its larvae, called wireworms, can live underground for up to five years before changing! - The beetle's amazing 'click' mechanism is so fast, it's almost impossible to see it happen! - These mottled beetles are found across many parts of Europe, Asia, and even North America! - While adults prefer nectar, their wireworm larvae munch on plant roots and decaying wood! ## Special abilities - **Clicking Escape:** Mottled dingy-brown click beetle can flip itself upright with a loud click because it helps them escape predators! - **Stealth Master:** Mottled dingy-brown click beetle has a mottled, hairy body that helps them blend perfectly into their surroundings. - **Tough Wireworm:** Mottled dingy-brown click beetle larvae have hard, shiny bodies that help them burrow and survive underground. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 15-34 mm - **Size:** 10-17 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Flight Speed:** 5-10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip nectar, while larvae are subterranean munchers of roots and decaying matter. - **Age differences:** Larvae (wireworms) feed on roots and decaying plant matter underground; adults primarily consume nectar and pollen. - **Primary Foods:** Pollen, Nectar, Plant roots, Decaying wood, Fungi - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Adults and larvae can become a meal for birds. - **Eats:** [Wheat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wheat) (*Triticum aestivum*) — Wireworm larvae sometimes feed on the roots of crop plants. - **Depends on:** [English oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Larvae develop in soil near roots or decaying wood of trees. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be gentle and watch where you step; insects like this beetle are small and can be easily hurt. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mottled dingy-brown click beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Mottled dingy-brown click beetle's wingspan? 15-34 mm ### How big is Mottled dingy-brown click beetle? 10-17 mm ### How long does Mottled dingy-brown click beetle live? 30-90 days ### How fast can Mottled dingy-brown click beetle fly? 5-10 km/h ### What does Mottled dingy-brown click beetle eat? Adults sip nectar, while larvae are subterranean munchers of roots and decaying matter. ### Where is Mottled dingy-brown click beetle usually found? Forests ### How does Mottled dingy-brown click beetle hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Mottled dingy-brown click beetle Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mottled-dingy-brown-click-beetle)